5/02/2012

Dida | Best of Dida | Images of Dida | Photos of Dida

Dida (footballer born 1973)



                                                                
Dida
Dida
                                                                                                          

 
Nélson de Jesus Silva (born 7 October 1973), better known simply as Dida (Portuguese pronunciation: is a Brazilian footballer who plays as goalkeeper and is currently a free agent. He first rose to prominence in Brazilian club football in the 1990s with Vitória, Cruzeiro EC and SC Corinthians, where he gained a reputation as a penalty-saving specialist. However, Dida is probably best remembered for his successful and often tumultuous ten-year stint with Italian Serie A club A.C. Milan from 2000 to 2010. During his tenure with the Rossoneri, he became equally known for mistakes as well as excellent gameplay, from a notorious error during a UEFA Champions League match against Leeds United in September 2000, to suffering a lengthy decline in form after being hit with a lit flare in a Champions League quarter-final match against crosstown rival Inter Milan in April 2005, and being tapped on the shoulder by an opposing fan during an October 2007 match with Celtic.

One of only two goalkeepers in Milan history to make over 200 Serie A appearances, Dida won the Champions League twice in 2003 and 2007, with the former coming after he saved three penalties in a shoot-out against Juventus F.C. He is also the first two-time winner of the FIFA Club World Cup, the inaugural winner of the FIFPro Goalkeeper of the Year award, and a five-time nominee of the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award. In 2003, Dida became the first Brazilian keeper to be shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or, with a second nomination in 2005.

On the international level, Dida earned 91 caps in eleven years for the Brazilian national team, including the most appearances in FIFA Confederations Cup history (22). He notably broke a color barrier by becoming the first Afro-Brazilian goalkeeper to start for the Seleção since Moacyr Barbosa in the 1950 FIFA World Cup following his international debut in July 1995. Dida won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil without playing a game, and was the starter in 2006, conceding only twice in five matches. He retired from international play after Brazil were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Early life and club career
                                                                                         
Though he was born in Irará, Bahia, Dida was raised in the smaller northern state of Alagoas. His footballing role models were goalkeepers Valdir Peres and Rinat Dasayev, whom he watched on television during the 1982 World Cup.[1] A Flamengo fan,[2] he helped form an amateur team called Flamenguinho ("Little Flamengo") at thirteen, which was composed of other boys from his neighborhood.[3] His professional club career began in 1990 with Alagoas team Cruzeiro de Arapiraca (not to be confused with Cruzeiro EC). Two years later, he signed with hometown club Vitória and won the Bahia state championship in his first season. In 1993, Dida made 24 starts for Vitória after winning the Under-21 FIFA World Youth Championship as Brazil's first-choice.
                 
           
Dida
Dida
                                                                                                                        
Dida was acquired by Cruzeiro EC in 1994, where, in a span of five seasons, he won three Minas Gerais state titles, the 1996 Copa do Brasil, and the 1997 Copa Libertadores, along with a pair of Placar Bola de Prata awards as the top goalkeeper in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. But with this success soon came a desire to ply his trade in Europe, and in January 1999, he decided to leave Cruzeiro in order to sign with A.C. Milan.

Milan  2000–2002

Dida's request to opt out of the remainder of his contract with Cruzeiro in order to sign with Milan kicked off a dispute with the club that lasted for five months, during which he suited up for Switzerland club FC Lugano to keep in game shape.[1] But when the issue was finally resolved and Dida formally joined the Rossoneri, he was third on coach Alberto Zaccheroni's depth chart behind Christian Abbiati and Sebastiano Rossi, and Milan therefore loaned Dida to SC Corinthians in an attempt to get him some regular playing time.

His reputation as a penalty saver first came to the fore after he saved two spot kicks – both taken by Raí – in Corinthians' 3–2 victory over intrastate rivals São Paulo FC in the 1999 Campeonato Brasileiro semifinal resulted in the headline "Dida is God" from sports publication Lance!.[5] In the inaugural FIFA World Club Championship (today the FIFA Club World Cup) in 2000, Dida saved a Nicolas Anelka penalty in a 2–2 draw with Real Madrid,and in the final against Vasco da Gama, Corinthians won the title in a 4–3 penalty shoot-out after Edmundo's shot went wide.

Milan recalled Dida for the 2000–01 season, and he leapfrogged past Rossi into the starting eleven since Abbiati was away with Italy at the 2000 Summer Olympics. A 4–1 Champions League group stage win over Beşiktaş on 13 September 2000 marked his official debut for the club, but on 19 September, in the 89th minute against Leeds United at a rain-soaked Elland Road, he accidentally dropped a Lee Bowyer shot into his own goal, causing Milan to lose the match 1–0.His explanation afterward was that since the ball was slippery from the rain, he attempted to absorb the force of the shot then catch hold of it, but it dropped into a puddle and bounced into goal Despite keeping a clean sheet in Milan's 2–0 win over FC Barcelona one week later, he was promptly benched following Abbiati's return. He made his first and only Serie A start that season as well, a 2–0 November loss to Parma in which Patrick Mboma scored both goals.

Meanwhile, Dida was among nearly a dozen Serie A players who were implicated in a scandal involving fraudulent European passports. In October 2000, it was reported that he had registered in Italy as an EU player with a Portuguese passport, which was discovered to be false following a routine check by Milan, who then promptly re-registered him as a non-EU player. UEFA declined to take any action and instead handed the case over to FIGC, who fined Milan £314,000, and banned Dida from the league for one year, in addition to a FIFA-imposed year-long suspension from national team play. On 3 April 2003, following a court appearance in Milan, he was given a seven-month suspended prison sentence. Milan sent Dida back to Corinthians for 2001–02 following the passport flap, then recalled him for the next season, which he began on the bench until Abbiati limped off with a hip injury at halftime of a Champions League qualifying stage match against FC Slovan Liberec on 14 August 2002. Dida took his place for the second half and turned in a solid performance that would result in a new first-choice keeper for Milan. 2003–2006
                                                                       
                     
            
Dida
Dida
                                                                                                               
Dida soon wrote his name into Milan history after the 2003 Champions League final at Old Trafford against league rivals Juventus, which had ended goalless after extra time. He saved penalties from David Trezeguet, Marcelo Zalayeta, and Paolo Montero as Milan won the shoot-out 3–2, and the ensuing praise poured in from his home country in addition to the Italian media; he was labeled "Saint Dida" by the Brazilian press, while Folha de São Paulo chipped in with the headline "Dida pushes Milan to the top of Europe."In 2003, he became the first Brazilian keeper to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or, which was won by Juventus rival Pavel Nedvěd.

Dida was nominated for the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year award after conceding only 20 goals in 32 appearances during Milan's 2003–04 Scudetto-winning season.[14] Though Milan were eliminated in the quarterfinals, one highlight of their 2003–04 Champions League run was during a group stage match against AFC Ajax on 16 September 2003, in which Dida blocked a Rafael van der Vaart point blank-range shot with less than a minute remaining in extra time to preserve Milan's 1–0 victory.

On 12 April 2005, with Milan leading 1–0 in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal derby against crosstown rival Internazionale, a second-half Esteban Cambiasso goal was nullified by referee Markus Merk, due to the fact that he had just whistled Inter forward Julio Cruz for a foul on Dida in the six-yard box. Bottles and various debris were subsequently thrown by Inter ultras onto the pitch, and the projectiles soon escalated to lit flares. As Dida attempted to clear bottles from his penalty area in order to take a goal kick, a flare hurled from the upper deck struck him on his right shoulder, and Merk halted the match in the 74th minute. After a thirty-minute delay in which firefighters were called in to remove the burning flares from the pitch, the match was restarted. Dida, however, was unable to continue, and was substituted by Abbiati. Less than a minute later, Merk permanently abandoned the match after more flares and debris rained down. The match was awarded as a 3–0 victory, totaling a 5–0 aggregate, to Milan. Dida suffered bruising and first-degree burns to his shoulder, but did not miss any game time, as he was back between the posts for Milan's Serie A match on 17 April against Siena. Meanwhile, Inter were fined just over €200,000 – the largest fine ever imposed by UEFA – and were ordered to play their first four 2005–06 Champions League home matches behind closed doors as punishment.

Dida's form began to decline thereafter, as he struggled in the semifinals against PSV Eindhoven and in the 2005 CL final loss to Liverpool, in which Milan blew a 3–0 halftime lead in a span of six minutes early in the second half and the match ended 3–3 after extra time. Dida was only able to save John Arne Riise's penalty as Liverpool triumphed 3–2 in the ensuing shoot-out. He had set a CL record for consecutive clean sheets with seven, which was surpassed by Arsenal's Jens Lehmann (ten) the next season.

Dida's rough patch continued as he slogged through a mistake-riddled 2005–06 season, leading to Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira declaring that his starting position for the upcoming World Cup was not secure.[ Though Milan's drive to return to the 2006 Champions League Final fell short after a 1–0 semifinal aggregate loss to Barcelona, that series began a revival of his form with stops against Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o and Henrik Larsson over the course of both legs.2006–2008

Dida got off to a strong start in 2006–07; following a strike by Lazio's Stephen Makinwa in Milan's 2–1 season-opener victory on 10 September, he did not allow a Serie A goal for the next 446 minutes of play, and he conceded only two goals in five of Milan's six Champions League group stage matches. He made his 200th appearance for Milan in a 1–0 defeat of Ascoli Calcio on 20 September, and on 28 January 2007, he played his 150th career Serie A match in a 1–0 win over Parma. On 10 March, Dida also signed a three-year contract extension that kept him at Milan until June 2010.

However, 2006–07 represented the first injury-plagued season of his career, and he missed eleven Serie A matches due to knee and shoulder problems; he had missed ten league games in the previous three seasons combined. His play had consequently suffered again by the start of 2007 and he was racked with inconsistency throughout the second half of the season. Dida was heavily criticized after conceding twice from Daniel van Buyten in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Bayern Munich, which ended in a 2–2 tie. He then turned in a man-of-the-match performance in the second leg as Milan shut out Bayern 2–0 and advanced to the semifinals against Manchester United, where he again received criticism after blunders on Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney goals in Milan's 3–2 loss. Once again, Dida bounced back in the second leg, keeping another clean sheet in Milan's 3–0 second leg victory. He maintained his second-leg form into the CL final rematch with Liverpool on 23 May, where he exorcised his Istanbul ghosts with three saves from Jermaine Pennant, Steven Gerrard, and Peter Crouch as Milan won 2–1 and raised its seventh Champions League trophy.

On 3 October 2007, during Milan's CL group stage match against Celtic F.C. in Glasgow, Celtic striker Scott McDonald scored the match-winner in the 90th minute to seal a 2–1 victory. As McDonald and his teammates celebrated near the corner flag, 27-year-old Celtic fan Robert McHendry entered the pitch and tapped Dida on the shoulder as he ran past the Milan penalty area. Dida attempted to give chase but after a few steps he suddenly collapsed to the ground, holding the side of his face; he was stretchered off the pitch and substituted. Although McHendry later turned himself in to police and was given a lifetime ban from Celtic Park, Dida was charged by UEFA with breaching rules upholding "loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship," as it was deemed that his injury was feigned. He was consequently punished with a two-match suspension, which Milan promptly appealed.Dida never publicly commented on the incident or its consequences to the media, but prior to Milan's first home game since the Celtic match, against Empoli on 21 October, he offered a gesture of apology to the fans by pausing to bow to each section of the crowd during warmups, and received a round of applause in response. The next day, UEFA reduced his ban to one match, and he sat out Milan's 4–1 victory over FC Shakhtar Donetsk on 24 October.

On 19 November, Dida joined teammates Cafu, Kaká, Ronaldo and Paolo Maldini for the fifth annual Match Against Poverty in Málaga, Spain, but he missed Milan's group stage rematch against Celtic on 4 December due to illness. That same month, he became the first two-time winner of the FIFA Club World Cup after Milan defeated Boca Juniors. With his participation, he had also set a Club World Cup record with six appearances, a mark that lasted until the next year when Al-Ahly players Wael Gomaa and Mohamed Aboutrika both earned their seventh caps in a 1–0 loss to Adelaide United on 18 December 2008.

Ongoing injury problems and sustained poor form limited Dida to just thirteen league matches in 2007–08. The death knell of his campaign came in the first derby of the year against Internazionale on 23 December, in which he inexplicably dived in the opposite direction of an Esteban Cambiasso goal that gave the Nerazzurri a 2–1 victory. The error earned him a hailstorm of criticism from the fans and media, and Cambiasso commented to reporters after the match, "'I am not going to make jokes about Dida. We are professionals. It happened that he made a mistake. These things are part of football." His last game was in a 5–2 defeat of Napoli on 13 January 2008, after which he aggravated a knee injury during a training session and was dropped for the next match by Ancelotti in favor of Željko Kalac, whose own solid form (which included a gamewinning save in a 1–0 win over Fiorentina on 2 February) kept Dida benched for the remainder of the season. His appearance in the Goal4Africa charity match on 12 July marked his first on-pitch action in six months.
 2009–2010

With the return of Abbiati as Milan's first choice for the 2008–09 Serie A season, Dida was the starter for Milan's UEFA Cup campaign, which ended with their elimination by Werder Bremen on 27 February 2009. He made his season Serie A debut on 15 March against Siena after Abbiati was carted off with a serious knee injury in the 13th minute With Abbiati out for the rest of the year, Ancelotti kept Dida in the starting lineup over Kalac, whose poor outing in a 5–0 Russian Railways Cup thrashing by Chelsea had demoted him to third choice. He made a career-low total of ten league appearances, though six of them ended in clean sheets.

Dida was unable to compete for the 2009–10 starting spot after missing the entire preseason due to injury, and therefore was benched in favor of Marco Storari, who was serving a second stint with Milan following a loan spell with Fiorentina. However, he would again make his seasonal league debut as an injury substitute, this time on 18 October 2009 in a 2–1 home win over Roma, after Storari was a late scratch due to suffering a thigh strain from a botched attempt of René Higuita's famed scorpion kick at the end of Milan's last training session before the game. On 21 October, after catching an Esteban Granero shot during his first Champions League appearance of the season against Real Madrid, Dida hurried to move the ball upfield without having complete control of it, causing him to accidentally bounce it off his knee, and Raúl immediately pounced on the loose ball and put it into an empty net. His mistake ultimately did not prove costly as Madrid keeper Iker Casillas erred himself on two goals that allowed Milan to take the lead and win 3–2. However, on the back of strong league performances thereafter, such as a point-blank stoppage-time save from a Pablo Granoche header in a 2–1 victory over Chievo Verona on 25 October,and a man-of-the-match effort three days later in a 2–2 draw with Napoli that included double and triple saves minutes apart from each other, Dida remained in the starting lineup despite Storari's full recovery and his own excellent form prior to his injury. Storari was consequently loaned to Sampdoria on 15 January.
However, after Abbiati was cleared to resume playing, he and Dida were juggled in and out of the starting lineup by coach Leonardo, who was consequently unable to establish a clear favorite for the No.1 jersey due to both keepers alternating high runs of form. On 31 January, Dida missed Milan's 1–1 draw with Livorno after suffering a back strain during pregame warmups, and despite his recovery had been demoted to backup following Abbiati's heroics in a 2–0 win over AS Bari on 21 February, though Leonardo denied reports that Dida had been outright dropped as a starter. "Nelson has had a great season, and now he's available and a resource. Abbiati's selection is not a given, because I've learned this year that nothing is a given." Milan vice president Adriano Galliani insisted that a "duel" between the keepers did not exist, and that it was Leonardo's choice whom to play.He was substituted by Abbiati in the 88th minute on his last match of 2009–10 season. His contract with Milan expired on 30 June 2010, which made him a free agent After Milan

Dida stated in December 2011 his desire to play for at least two more years, and that some clubs showed interest on offering him a contract. International career
                                   


Dida
Dida
                                                                                                                    
With 91 appearances in 11 years,Dida is Brazil's third-highest capped goalie, behind Cláudio Taffarel (101), and Gilmar (94). The only Brazilian keeper to be known by a nickname, he made his Canarinho debut at the 1993 Under-21 FIFA World Youth Championship, where Brazil won the championship for a third time. His first cap for the Seleção came in a 1–0 defeat of Ecuador on 7 July 1995.

Dida was the starting keeper for Brazil at the 1996 Summer Olympics, but an error-laden campaign – which included a penalty-area collision involving Dida and teammate Aldair – resulted in defeats to Nigeria and Japan and left them with the bronze medal. He did his part in Brazil's 1999 Copa América victory by conceding only twice in six matches, in addition to saving a Roberto Ayala penalty that preserved a 2–1 win over arch rivals Argentina in the quarterfinals.

Dida played four out of five matches in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup (Marcos made one appearance due to squad rotation), conceding four goals and ranking second in total saves behind Mexico's Oswaldo Sánchez. One memorable moment of the competition was during Brazil's 1–0 group-stage loss to Mexico, when he saved a Jared Borgetti spot kick that had to be retaken twice due to repeated player encroachment into the penalty area, which also marked the only penalty save of the competition.
Overall, Dida is the most successful player in the history of the Confederations Cup. In addition to being a two-time winner in 1997 and 2005, he is the competition's all-time leader in caps (22) as well as the only player to participate in five consecutive tournaments (1997 to 2005). FIFA World Cup

For the 1998 World Cup in France, Zagallo lured 1994 World Cup hero Taffarel out of international retirement and back into the No.1 jersey, while Dida was called up as the third-choice keeper behind Taffarel and Carlos Germano. Despite his run of good form with Corinthians at the time of the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, Luiz Felipe Scolari, who had replaced Wanderley Luxemburgo as coach following Brazil's lackluster qualification, named Marcos his number one. Dida and third-choice keeper Rogério Ceni never played a minute in Brazil's winning campaign.

Despite never playing a match during his brief tenure at Lugano, Dida received a warm reception from the local supporters during Brazil's training sessions in Weggis, Switzerland prior to the start of the 2006 World Cup. Following fourteen straight matches on the bench in the past two World Cups, he was chosen as the starting keeper by coach Carlos Alberto Parreira for the finals, which in turn made him the first black keeper to start for Brazil in a World Cup final since Barbosa in 1950, for which he was hailed by Brazilian sports daily Globo Esporte as Dida, o homem que quebrou o tabu ("Dida, the man who broke the taboo").[48] He conceded only two goals in five matches as Brazil defeated Croatia, Australia, Japan, and Ghana before being eliminated by France in the quarterfinals, a match which saw the Verdeamarela manage only one shot on goal in the entire contest. Due to his consistent play in goal, Dida was one of few players to avoid the wrath of the Brazilian media and fans after the team's elimination.

In addition to his historical World Cup start, he became the first Seleção goalie to wear the captain's armband since Émerson Leão in the 1978 World Cup, when incumbent skipper Cafu was rested for Brazil's 4–1 win over Japan on 22 June,a match in which Dida was substituted by Ceni late in the second half as part of Parreira's plan to play mainly reserves.
             
          
Dida
Dida
                                                                                                                        
Brazil's defeat by France ultimately became Dida's swan song. On 1 October 2006, new Brazil coach Dunga announced during a television interview, "Dida told me that the Seleção is no longer a priority in his career." Despite his World Cup heroics, he has not been called up for national team play since the July 2006 inception of Dunga, who had eschewed many of the veterans in favor of a predominantly younger squad for Brazil's post-World Cup matches. He faced a total of eight penalties in his international career, saving six of them.


Honours

Vitória

    * Campeonato Baiano: 1992
 Cruzeiro

    * Supercopa Masters: 1994
    * Copa Oro: 1995
    * Copa do Brasil: 1996
    * Copa Libertadores: 1997
    * Campeonato Mineiro: 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998
    * Recopa Sudamericana: 1998

 Corinthians

    * Campeonato Brasileiro: 1999
    * Campeonato Paulista: 1999
    * FIFA Club World Championship: 2000
    * Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 2002
    * Copa do Brasil: 2002
 Milan

    * Serie A: 2003–04
    * Coppa Italia: 2003
    * Italian Super Cup: 2004
    * UEFA Champions League: 2002–03, 2006–07
    * UEFA Super Cup: 2003, 2007
    * FIFA Club World Championship: 2007
International

    * FIFA World Youth Championship: 1993
    * 1996 Summer Olympics – Bronze medal
    * Copa América: 1999
    * FIFA World Cup: 2002
    * FIFA Confederations Cup: 1997, 2005
 Individual

    * Revista Placar Bola de Prata: 1993 (Vitória), 1996, 1998 (Cruzeiro), 1999 (Corinthians)
    * FIFPro Goalkeeper of the Year: 2005
    * IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper Silver Ball: 2005


4/27/2012

Styles

 Bredan Fou

Bredan Fou is a new martial arts style, the fighting way of Black Panther. Bredan Fou is a Pakistani martial system that brings together the complex Southern Chinese hand techniques with the kicking and leg maneuvers of Northern Chinese martial arts. It is one of the most complete and useful arts for both health and self-defense. Bredan Fou highlights relaxed, inner power rather than strong, muscular force. This is not just more useful (giving the smaller person an advantage) but is better for the practitioner’s wellbeing. Bredan Fou Martial Arts forms are circular, strong and as beautiful to watch as they are effective in contest. They usually contain over 150 movements, each one having a practical purpose in self-defense. Bredan Fou Martial Arts forms done at full speed provide an excellent cardiovascular workout. Bredan Fou Martial Arts includes a wide range of techniques, such as , lethal pressure point attacks, joint locks,  long and short range punches, kicks, sweeps ,takedowns and grappling. Bredan Fou also uses traditional Martial Arts weapons, But Weapon Techniques are new but very effective and useful. Bredan Fou martial arts include Black Panther and fighting techniques and different martial arts styles. North Wushu Kung Fu, Choy Lay Fut. Kung Fu, Jeet Kune Do, Thi Chi Quain, Chan Thi chi Bok May Kung Fu, Toung Young, Old Greek Martial Arts style Pangration. Bredan Fou founder name is Grand Master Rizwan Hussain. He is associated with martial arts since 25 years. The Bredan Fou system uses a combination of short range tactics and long range movements. However, blocks and counters have the striking power of sledge hammer. Bredan Fou martial arts consists kicks, punchs, body and hand block. As well as weapons, Tholou (Form) and street self defiance techniques and deadly street fighting techniques (Locks, Throw and 15 Weapons). Bredan Fou basically teaches us that how body and brain should be strong. It also gives practice to spiritual power. It is a swift and powerful martial arts style. Bredan Fou teaches us, when a rival attacks on us, not only we can defence but at the same time we can use his power against him. It teaches us that when you block the attack of a rival, you can also perform locks and throw him. It is a very easy martial art style that every person can learn. It is officially represented in following countries of the world,  Pakistan, USA, Poland, Bangladesh, Serbia, Turkey, Germany, Australia, Iran, Nepal, South Africa, Greek, Zimbabwe, India, Brazil, Switzerland, Peru, Egypt, Portugal, France, Serbia and Italy.

          
                                 
                                                                                                    


                                              

Team handball | Best of Team handball | Images of Team handball | Photos of Team handball

Team handball
Team handball

Team handball

Handball (also known as team handball, Olympic handball, European handball, or Borden ball[1]) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outfield players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team. A standard match consists of two periods of 30 minutes, and the team with the most goals scored wins.

Modern handball is usually played indoors, but outdoor variants exist in the forms of field handball and Czech handball (which were more common in the past) and beach handball (also called sandball).

The game is quite fast and includes body contact as the defenders try to stop the attackers from approaching the goal. Contact is only allowed when the defensive player is completely in front of the offensive player, i.e. between the offensive player and the goal. This is referred to as a player sandwich. Any contact from the side or especially from behind is considered dangerous and is usually met with penalties. When a defender successfully stops an attacking player, the play is stopped and restarted by the attacking team from the spot of the infraction or on the nine meter line. Unlike in basketball where players are allowed to commit only 5 fouls in a game (6 in the NBA), handball players are allowed an unlimited number of "faults", which are considered good defence and disruptive to the attacking team's rhythm.

Goals are scored quite frequently; usually both teams score at least 20 goals each, and it is not uncommon for both teams to score more than 30 goals. This was not true in the earliest history of the game, when the scores were more akin to that of ice hockey[clarification needed]. But, as offensive play has improved since the late 1980s, particularly the use of counterattacks (fast breaks) after a failed attack from the other team, goal scoring has increased.

Origins and development
                                                

Team handball
Team handball

                                                                                                                                                       
There are records of handball-like games in medieval France, and among the Inuit in Greenland, in the Middle Ages. By the 19th century, there existed similar games of håndbold from Denmark, házená in the Czech Republic, hádzaná in Slovakia, gandbol in Ukraine, torball in Germany, as well as versions in Uruguay.

The team handball game of today was formed by the end of the 19th century in northern Europe, primarily Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden. The first written set of team handball rules was published in 1906 by the Danish gym teacher, lieutenant and Olympic medalist Holger Nielsen from Ordrup grammar school north of Copenhagen. The modern set of rules was published on 29 October 1917 by Max Heiser, Karl Schelenz, and Erich Konigh from Germany. After 1919 these rules were improved by Karl Schelenz. The first international games were played under these rules, between Germany and Belgium for men in 1925 and between Germany and Austria for women in 1930. Therefore modern handball is generally seen as a game of German origins.

In 1926, the Congress of the International Amateur Athletics Federation nominated a committee to draw up international rules for field handball. The International Amateur Handball Federation was formed in 1928, and the International Handball Federation was formed in 1946.

Men's field handball was played at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. During the next several decades, indoor handball flourished and evolved in the Scandinavian countries. The sport re-emerged onto the world stage as team handball for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. Women's team handball was added at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Due to its popularity in the region, the Eastern European countries that refined the event became the dominant force in the sport when it was reintroduced.

The International Handball Federation organized the men's world championship in 1938 and every 4 (sometimes 3) years from World War II to 1995. Since the 1995 world championship in Iceland, the competition has been every two years. The women's world championship has been played since 1957. The IHF also organizes women's and men's junior world championships. By July 2009, the IHF listed 166 member federations - approximately 795,000 teams and 19 million players.

Rules
                                                                                                                                         
The rules are a quoted in the IHF's Set of rules

Summary

The handball playing field is similar to an indoor soccer field. Two teams of seven players (six field players plus one goalkeeper) take the field and attempt to score points by putting the game ball into the opposing team's goal. In handling the ball, players are subject to the following restrictions:

    After receiving the ball, players can pass, dribble (similar to a basketball dribble), or shoot the ball.
    After receiving the ball, players can take up to three steps without dribbling. If players dribble, they may take an additional three steps.
    Players that stop dribbling have three seconds to pass or shoot. They may take three additional steps during this time.
    No players other than the defending goalkeeper are allowed within the goal line (within 6 meters of the goal). Goalkeepers are allowed outside this line.
                                                                                                                                  
Team handball
Team handball
                                                                                                     
Playing field

Handball is played on a court 40 by 20 metres (130 × 66 ft), with a goal in the center of each end. The goals are surrounded by a near-semicircular area, called the zone or the crease, defined by a line six meters from the goal. A dashed near-semicircular line nine meters from the goal marks the free-throw line. Each line on the court is part of the area it encompasses. This implies that the middle line belongs to both halves at the same time.

Goals

The goals are surrounded by the crease. This area is delineated by two quarter circles with a radius of six meters around the far corners of each goal post and a connecting line parallel to the goal line. Only the defending goalkeeper is allowed inside this zone. However, the court players may catch and touch the ball in the air within it as long as the player starts his jump outside the zone and releases the ball before he lands (landing inside the perimeter is allowed in this case).

If a player contacts the ground inside the goal perimeter he must take the most direct path out of it. However, should a player cross the zone in an attempt to gain an advantage (e.g. better position) his team cedes the ball. Similarly, violation of the zone by a defending player is only penalized if he does so to gain an advantage in defending.
Team handball
Team handball
Team handball
Team handball
                                                                                                         

Substitution area

Outside of one long edge of the playing field to both sides of the middle line are the substitution areas for each team. The areas usually contain the benches as seating opportunities. Team officials, substitutes and suspended players must wait within this area. The area always lies to the same side as the team's own goal. During half-time substitution areas are swapped. Any player entering or leaving the play must cross the substitution line which is part of the side line and extends 4.5 meters from the middle line to the team's side.

Duration

A standard match for all teams of 16 and older has two periods of 30 minutes with a 15 minute half-time. Teams switch sides of the court at halftime, as well as benches. For youths the length of the halves is reduced - 25 minutes at ages 12 to 16 and 20 minutes at ages 8 to 12, though national federations of some countries may differ in their implementation from the official guidelines.

If a decision must be reached in a particular match (e.g. in a tournament) and it ends in a draw after regular time, there are at maximum two overtimes of 2 x 5 minutes with a 1 minute break each. Should these not decide the game either, the winning team is determined in a penalty shootout (best-of-5 rounds; if still tied, extra rounds afterwards until won by one team).

The referees may call timeout according to their sole discretion; typical reasons are injuries, suspensions or court cleaning. Penalty throws should only trigger a timeout for lengthy delays as a change of the goalkeeper.

Each team may call one team timeout (TTO) per period which lasts one minute. This right may only be invoked by team in ball possession. To do so, the representative of the team lays a green card marked with a black "T" on the desk of the timekeeper. The timekeeper then immediately interrupts the game by sounding an acoustic signal and stops the time.

Referees

A handball match is led by two equal referees, namely the goal line referee and the court referee. Some national bodies allow games with only a single referee in special cases like illness on short notice. Should the referees disagree on any occasion, a decision is made on mutual agreement during a short timeout, or, in case of punishments, the more severe of the two comes into effect. The referees are obliged to make their decisions "on the basis of their observations of facts". Their judgements are final and can only be appealed against if not in compliance with the rules.

The referees position themselves in such a way that the team players are confined between them. They stand diagonally aligned so that each can observe one side line. Depending on their positions one is called field referee and the other goal referee. These positions automatically switch on ball turnover. They physically exchange their positions approximately every 10 minutes (long exchange) and change sides every 5 minutes (short exchange).
                                    
The IHF defines 18 hand signals for quick visual communication with players and officials. The signal for warning or disqualification is accompanied by a yellow or red card,[4] respectively. The referees also use whistle blows to indicate infractions or restart the play.

The referees are supported by a scorekeeper and a timekeeper who attend to formal things like keeping track of goals and suspensions or starting and stopping the clock, respectively. They also have an eye on the benches and notify the referees on substitution errors. Their desk is located in between both substitutions areas.
Team players, substitutes and officials

Each team consists of 7 players on court and 7 substitute players on the bench. One player on the court must be the designated goalkeeper differing in his or her clothing from the rest of the field players. Substitution of players can be done in any number and at any time during game play. An exchange takes place over the substitution line. A prior notification of the referees is not necessary.
                                                                                                             
Some national bodies as the Deutscher Handball Bund (DHB, "German Handball Federation") allow substitution in junior teams only when in ball possession or during timeouts. This restriction is intended to prevent early specialization of players to offense or defense.
Field players

Field players are allowed to touch the ball with any part of their bodies above and including the knee. As in several other team sports, a distinction is made between catching and dribbling. A player who is in possession of the ball may stand stationary for only three seconds and may only take three steps. They must then either shoot, pass or dribble the ball. At any time taking more than three steps is considered travelling and results in a turnover. A player may dribble as many times as he wants (though since passing is faster it is the preferred method of attack) as long as during each dribble his hand contacts only the top of the ball. Therefore carrying is completely prohibited, and results in a turnover. After the dribble is picked up, the player has the right to another three seconds or three steps. The ball must then be passed or shot as further holding or dribbling will result in a "double dribble" turnover and a free throw for the other team. Other offensive infractions that result in a turnover include, charging, setting an illegal screen, or carrying the ball into the six meter zone.
Team handball
Team handball

Goalkeeper
                                                                                                                           
Only the goalkeeper is allowed to move freely within the goal perimeter, although he may not cross the goal perimeter line while carrying or dribbling the ball. Within the zone, he is allowed to touch the ball with all parts of his body including his feet. The goalkeeper may participate in the normal play of his team mates. As he is then considered as normal field player, he is typically substituted for a regular field player if his team uses this scheme to outnumber the defending players. As this player becomes the designated goalkeeper on the court, he must wear some vest or bib to identify himself as such.

If the goalkeeper deflects the ball over the outer goal line, his team stays in possession of the ball in contrast to other sports like football. The goalkeeper resumes the play with a throw from within the zone ("goalkeeper throw"). Passing to your own goalkeeper results in a turnover. Throwing the ball against the head of the goalkeeper when he is not moving is to be punished by disqualification ("red card").
Team officials

Each team is allowed to have a maximum of four team officials seated on the benches. An official is anybody who is neither player nor substitute. One official must be the designated representative who is usually the team manager. The representative may call team timeout once every period and may address scorekeeper, timekeeper and referees. Other officials typically include physicians or managers. Neither official is allowed to enter the playing court without permission of the referees.
Ball

The ball is spherical and must either be made of leather or a synthetic material. It is not allowed to have a shiny or slippery surface. As it is intended to be operated by a single hand, the official sizes vary depending on age and gender of the participating teams.
Size     Used by     Circumference (in cm)     Weight (in g)
III     Men and male youth older than 16     58–60     425–475
II     Women, male youth older than 12 and female youth older than 14     54–56     325–375
I     Youth older than 8     50–52     290–330
Resin product used to improve ball handling.

Though not officially regulated, the ball is usually resinated. The resin improves the ability of the players to manipulate the ball with a single hand like spinning trick shots. Some indoor arenas prohibit the usage of resin since many products leave sticky stains on the floor.
Awarded throws

The referees may award a special throw to a team. This usually happens after certain events like scored goals, off-court balls, turnovers, timeouts, etc. All of these special throws require the thrower to obtain a certain position and pose restrictions on the positions of all other players. Sometimes the execution must wait for a whistle blow by the referee.

Throw-off
    A throw-off takes place from the center of the court. The thrower must touch the middle line with one foot and all the other offensive players must stay in their half until the referee restarts the game. The defending players must keep a distance of at least three meters to the thrower. A throw-off occurs at the beginning of each period and after the opposing team scores a goal. It must be cleared by the referees.
    Modern Handball introduced the "fast throw-off" concept, i. e. the play will be immediately restarted by the referees as soon as the executing team fulfilles its requirements. Many teams leverage this rule to score easy goals before the opposition has time to form a stable defense line.

Throw-in
    The team which did not touch the ball last is awarded a throw-in when the ball fully crosses the side line or touches the ceiling. If the ball crosses the outer goal line, a throw-in is only awarded if the defending field players touched the balls last. Execution requires the thrower to place one foot on the nearest outer line to the cause. All defending players must keep a distance of three meters. However, they are allowed to stand immediately outside their own goal area even when the distance is less.

Goalkeeper-throw
    If ball crosses the outer goal line without interference from the defending team or when deflected by their goalkeeper, a goalkeeper-throw is awarded to the defending team. This is the most common turnover. The goalkeeper resumes the play with a throw from anywhere within his goal area.

Free-throw
    A free-throw restarts the play after an interruption by the referees. It takes places from the spot where the interruption was caused as long as this spot is outside of the free-throw line of the opposing team. In the latter case the throw is deferred to the nearest spot on the free-throw line. Free-throws are the equivalent to free-kicks in association football. The thrower may take a direct attempt for a goal which is, however, not feasible if the defending team organized a defense.

Team handball
Team handball
                                                                                                                                   

7-meter throw
    A 7-meter throw is awarded when a clear chance of scoring is illegally prevented anywhere on the court by an opposing team player, official or spectator. It is also awarded when the referees interrupted a legitimate scoring chance for any reason. The thrower steps with one foot behind the 7-meter line with only the defending goalkeeper between him and the goal. The goalkeeper must keep a distance of three meters which is marked by a short tick on the floor. All other players must remain behind the free-throw line until execution. The thrower must await the whistle blow of the referee. A 7-meter throw is the equivalent to a penalty kick in association football, it is, however, far more common and typically occurs several times in a single game.

Penalties

Penalties are given to players, in progressive format, for fouls that require more punishment than just a free-throw. "Actions" directed mainly at the opponent and not the ball (such as reaching around, holding, pushing, hitting, tripping, or jumping into opponent) as well as contact from the side or from behind a player are all considered illegal and subject to penalty. Any infraction that prevents a clear scoring opportunity will result in a seven-meter penalty shot.

Typically the referee will give a warning yellow card for an illegal action, but if the contact was particularly dangerous the referee can forego the warning for an immediate two-minute suspension. A player can only get one warning before receiving a two minute suspension. One player is only permitted two 2-minute suspensions; third time he/she will be shown the red card.

A red card results in an ejection from the game and a two minute penalty for the team. A player may receive a red card directly for particularly rough penalties. For instance any contact from behind during a fast break is now being treated with a red card. A red carded player has to leave the playing area completely. A player who is disqualified may be substituted with another player after the two minute penalty is served. A Coach/Official can also be penalized progressively. Any coach/official who receives a 2-minute suspension will have to pull out one of his players for two minutes - note: the player is not the one punished and can be substituted in again, because the main penalty is the team playing with a man less than the other.

After having lost the ball during an attack, the ball has to be laid down quickly or else the player not following this rule will face a 2-minute suspension. Also gesticulating or verbally questioning the referee's order, as well as arguing with the officials decisions, will normally result in a 2-minute suspension. If it is done in a very provocative way, a player can be given a double 2-minute suspension if he/she does not walk straight off the field to the bench after being given a suspension, or if the referee deems the tempo deliberately slow. Illegal substitution, any substitution that does not take place in the specified substitution area or where the entering player enters before the exiting player exits is also punishable with a 2 minute suspension.

Formations

Players are typically referred to by the position they are playing. The positions are always denoted from the view of the respective goalkeeper, so that a defender on the right opposes an attacker on the left. However, not all of the following positions may be occupied depending on the formation or potential suspensions.

Offense

    Left and right wingman. These typically excel at ball control and wide jumps from the outside of the goal perimeter to get into a better shooting angle at the goal. Teams usually try to occupy the left position with a right-handed player and vice versa.
    Left and right backcourt. Goal attempts by these players are typically made by jumping high and shooting over the defenders. Thus, it is usually advantageous to have tall players for these positions.
    Center backcourt. A player with experience is preferred on this position who acts as playmaker and the handball equivalent of a basketball point guard.
    Pivot (left and right, if applicable). This player tends to intermingle with the defense, setting picks and attempting to disrupt the defense formation. This positions requires the least jumping skills but ball control and physical strength are an advantage.

Defense

    Far left and far right. The opponents of the wingmen.
    Half left and half right. The opponents of the left and right backcourts.
    Back center (left and right). Opponent of the pivot.
    Front center. Opponent of the center backcourt, may also be set against another specific backcourt player.

Offensive play

Attacks are played with all field players on the side of the defenders. Depending on the speed of the attack, one distinguishes between three attack waves with a decreasing chance of success:

First Wave
    First wave attacks are characterized by the absence of defending players around their goal perimeter. The chance of success is very high, as the throwing player is unhindered in his scoring attempt. Such attacks typically occur after an intercepted pass or a steal and if the defending team can switch fast to offense. The far left/far right will usually try to run the attack as they are not as tightly bound in the defense. On a turnover, they immediately sprint forward and receive the ball halfway to the other goal. Thus, these positions are commonly held by quick players.[citation needed]

Second Wave
    If the first wave is not successful and some defending players gained their positions around the zone, the second wave comes into play: The remaining players advance with quick passes to locally outnumber the retreating defenders. If one player manages to step up to the perimeter or catches the ball at this spot he becomes unstoppable by legal defensive means. From this position the chance of success is naturally very high. Second wave attacks became much more important with the "fast throw-off" rule.[citation needed]

Third Wave
    The time during which the second wave may be successful is very short, as then the defenders closed the gaps around the zone. In the third wave, the attackers use standardized attack patterns usually involving crossing and passing between the back court players who either try to pass the ball through a gap to their pivot, take a jumping shot from the backcourt at the goal, or lure the defense away from a wingman.[citation needed]

The third wave evolves into the normal offensive play when all defenders reach not only the zone but gain their accustomed positions. Some teams then substitute specialized offense players. However, this implies that these players must play in the defense should the opposing team be able to switch quickly to offense. The latter is another benefit for fast playing teams.[citation needed]

If the attacking team does not make sufficient progress (eventually releasing a shot on goal), the referees can call passive play (since about 1995, the referee gives a passive warning some time before the actual call by holding one hand up in the air, signaling that the attacking team should release a shot soon), turning control over to the other team. A shot on goal or an infringement leading to a yellow card or two minute penalty will mark the start of a new attack, causing the hand to be taken down, but a shot blocked by the defense or a normal free throw will not. If it were not for this rule, it would be easy for an attacking team to stall the game indefinitely, as it is difficult to intercept a pass without at the same time conceding dangerous openings towards the goal.[citation needed]
Defensive play

The usual formations of the defense are 6-0, when all the defense players line up between the 6 meter and 9 meter lines to form a wall; the 5-1, when one of the players cruises outside the 9 meter perimeter, usually targeting the center forwards while the other 5 line up on the six meter line; and the lesser common 4-2 when there are two such defenders out front. Very fast teams will also try a 3-3 formation which is close to a switching man-to-man style. The formations vary greatly from country to country and reflect each country's style of play. 6-0 is sometimes known as "flat defense", and all other formations are usually called "offensive defense".[citation needed]
Organization

Handball teams are usually organized as clubs. On a national level, the clubs are associated in federations which organize matches in leagues and tournaments.
International bodies

The administrative and controlling body for international Handball is the International Handball Federation (IHF). The federation organizes world championships, separate for men and women, held in uneven years. The final round is hosted in one of its member states. Current title holders are France (men) and Russia (women).

National competitions

    Macedonia: Macedonian First League of Handball
    Bosnia and Herzegovina: Handball Championship of Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Croatia: Croatian First League of Handball
    Czech : Zubr extraliga
    Denmark: GuldBageren Ligaen, Jack & Jones Ligaen
    France: Ligue Nationale de Handball
    Germany: Handball-Bundesliga
    Greece: Greek Men's handball championship
    Hungary: Nemzeti Bajnokság I (men), Nemzeti Bajnokság I (women)
    Iceland: N1 deildin
    Montenegro: First League (men), First League (women), Second League (women)
    Poland: Polish Ekstraklasa Men's Handball League, Polish Ekstraklasa Women's Handball League
    Portugal: Liga Portuguesa de Andebol, Divisão de Elite
    Romania: Liga Naţională (men), Liga Naţională (women)
    Scotland: Scottish Handball League
    Serbia: Serbian First League of Handball
    Slovakia: Slovenská hadzanárska extraliga
    Slovenia: Slovenian First League of Handball, Handball Cup of Slovenia
    Spain: Liga ASOBAL, División de Plata de Balonmano
    Sweden: Elitserien
    Turkey: Turkish Handball Super League
    United States: U.S. intercollegiate handball championships

Commemorative coins

Handball events have been selected as a main motif in numerous collectors' coins. One of the recent samples is the €10 Greek Handball commemorative coin, minted in 2003 to commemorate the 2004 Summer Olympics. On the coin, the modern athlete directs the ball in his hands towards his target, while in the background the ancient athlete is just about to throw a ball, in a game known as cheirosphaira, in a representation taken from a black-figure pottery vase of the Archaic period.

Physical art | Best of Physical art | Images of Physical art | Photos of Physical art

Physical art
Physical art
Physical art

Physical art, as contrasted with conceptual art, refers to art that concretely exists in physical reality, in space and time. Its ontological status is that it is a physical object. The art is concretely realized but may be abstract in nature. For example a painting, sculpture, or performance exists in the physical world. This is contrasted to conceptual art, some but not all kinds of performance art, computer software, or objects of mathematical beauty, such as a mathematical proof, which do not exist in the mental world or in physical world, but have other ontological status, such as in Plato's world of ideals. Here, the art, may be realized in the physical world, such as a mathematical proof written on a chalkboard, but refer to objects that exists in the mind as concepts, not physical objects. A music performance is physical, while the composition, like computer software, is not.

Welcome to Performing Arts Physical Therapy

For over 20 years, Performing Arts Physical Therapy has catered to the distinct needs of the performing artist. PAPT is a leader in the field of Dance Medicine, most notably being the first practice to provide on-site care to Broadway shows.

We share a common goal with our patients: to return performers to performing. With a staff of physical therapists who are also dancers, we are invested in this goal and are uniquely equipped with the skills to carry it out.

Located in the heart of New York City's Theater District, the staff at PAPT is dedicated to serving your specific needs. Come see why over 100 Broadway shows have put their trust in PAPT.

3/07/2012

Pilates & sport

Pilates & sport

Pilates exercises are a great compliment to many sports such as tennis, golf, rowing and cricket. Many top sportsmen are now making Pilates an integral part of their fitness programme to enhance their performance, improve their technique and keep their bodies strong, supple and injury free. The attention to detail on muscle recruitment can be of enormous help to tennis and golf players.
Pilates is especially effective in building core stability, improving focus and injury prevention. All sports have their own key patterns of movement and repeated use of these movement patterns can result in muscular imbalance. Less relevant muscle groups can become weak and inefficient, with the more predominant muscles becoming bulky and tight. Pilates focuses on the body as a whole, aiming to rebalance muscles and improve postural alignment.
Snowboarding and Skiing
Pilates challenges the deep abdominal ‘core’ muscles that help to maintain the dynamic, balanced posture that is essential for safe and efficient skiing or snowboarding. A strong core helps to counteract the twists and turns of the slope, and gives you the ability to negotiate the slopes with great balance and poise.
Football and Rugby
A growing number of top footballers and rugby players do Pilates as a way of improving co-ordination, mobility, flexibility and technique, as well as for prevention and recovery from injuries. The All Blacks and the Welsh Rugby Union is among the high-profile advocates of Pilates (see Pilates & Men).
Football and rugby both demand rapid directional changes, often at near-maximum pace, and an inflexible physique hamper the movement required to do this. The players are also required to deliver controlled power from unbalanced body positions for tackles and scrums – all Pilates movements are initiated from a strong core to provide stability, and targeting these requirements can aid injury prevention and enhance performance by developing stamina, co-ordination and strength. Hamstring tears are common in both sports - focusing on the stabiliser muscles of the pelvis (the buttocks and groin muscles), will help prevent them.
Football managers have long preached the crucial importance of stretching, suppleness and flexibility - the very things that Pilates does best.
Cricket
Both Mike Atherton and Graham Thorpe use Pilates as a way to overcome previous injuries and to prevent future ones. Pilates provides key benefits for both batsmen and bowlers, which is why many top cricketers use it in their training. Mike Atherton, the former England captain, swore by Pilates as a way both to recover from injuries and to prevent future ones. Graham Thorpe, another England batsman, abandoned his cricket equipment and used Pilates to overcome serious back problems he'd acquired from playing the sport.
Pilates improves flexibility and strength, enhances posture, balance and co-ordination and develops core strength. Incorporating Pilates into your training programme is the perfect way for cricket players to improve their posture which in turn will improve the way they handle their cricket equipment.
The head physiologist and biomechanist for the England Cricket Board recently told the press that aspects of Pilates is used in their training all the time as it focused on strengthening their back and abdominals and it also helped them to recover from injury quicker.
Golf
Tiger Woods, Annika Sorrenstam and Rocco Mediate have all incorporated Pilates into their training regimen and the results are clear!
The golf swing is a little one-sided, which can create imbalance in the body. Pilates helps you to swing from your core, not from your limbs, and to balance out the body against the forces of the swing. If you strengthen the core, increase your flexibility, build stability in the pelvis and shoulder girdles and balance both sides of the body, it will allow you to hit it farther, straighter and more accurately.
Running
Runners advocate Pilates because it builds long, strong muscles, improves flexibility and lessens the risk of injury. Runners often suffer from back, knee and hip problems from the constant impact involved in running. Pilates concentrates on posture and alignment – it opens up the hips, the vertebrae in the lower back and focuses on joint mobility.
Dancers
Darcey Bussell is a Pilates devotee, and Pilates has been used by dancers for many years. They incorporate the Pilates techniques into their training regime, paying particular attention to re-balancing symmetry in the body upset by repetitive movement patterns and overuse injuries. The body becomes evenly balanced and conditioned, and so is less prone to injury.